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1. What's the web site's purpose or goal?
This is very important to know before you start designing or writing for your web site. Another way to ask this is “What is this web site for?” What do you expect the web site to do? It‘s important to know what you want and be sure the site is guiding people to do what you want. Is it for sales or marketing? Is it a tool for communication or an online brochure? Do you want to sell products through the site, or just educate consumers about them? Do you want to increase membership in your organization, or offer web-based benefits to current members? Do you want visitors to email or call you? Subscribe to a newsletter? Do you want it to bring in more visitors or customers? Knowing your goals will help focus your ideas for the site.2. Who's the web site's audience?
You need to determine to what audience your web site will be targetted. Because of the potential global audience for a web site, you must know how to target your web site message! For example, if you sell paint brushes your “target audience” will be painters & DIY homeowners, or if you sell “Toys for Kids” your audience would be kids and possibly their parents, etc. It's vital that you identify your potential visitors so that you can address user preferences and site requirements, which could pose technological challenges. Do they have dial-up or high-speed connections? Do they use the latest in computer technology or does a large percentage use older computers and software? Is your audience familiar with computers and the ‘net? Could some users have disabilities requiring special devices for surfing the ‘net? Both the artistic style and nature of your web site's content are highly dependent upon this information. It's always safest to consider the lowest common denominator in terms of users and internet browsers for a web site to reach the largest audience.You'll need to answer the following question, once you know who your audience is:
"What info is needed for my audience to learn about my business?" PDS suggests checking out the competition's web sites for some ideas. If you have access to a computer, you can go online and compare various web sites. Start your search for the competition by using a search engine to “look-up” sites within your industry or scope. Note which sites you like best and why. Do you like the layout, graphics and colour scheme? Is it easy to navigate through the site? What can you do on the site? What kind of information is available and is it easy to find? Is the site quick to download? Does it need plug-ins for viewing the site? Are there feed back forms for visitors to use? When you've determined your site's needs, create an outline around the themes you want to promote. Remember that each theme of the outline is a page that needs content - text and images that will help educate your visitors. Consider providing some or all of the following for your web site: Company Information: This is your opportunity to “toot your horn” or market your organization. State the W5's : who you are; what you do; where, when & why you do it. Also add how visitors should contact you - by mail, phone, email etc. Product/Service Information: A complete description of the products or services your business offers, including photos and descriptive text if available. If your product involves technical specifications, instructions, customer support, or other information useful to your customers, compile a full descriptive information of this type for your web site. Feedback & Ordering: Be prepared to discuss how you want to gather customer feedback and product order or service inquiry information. There are a variety of ways to do this from simple email links to complex forms. FAQs: Frequently asked questions with your answers. Links: Info and resource links for your visitors to access.
3. What features are needed to achieve your web site goals?
Once you have determined what you want your site to be and do for you, you need to decide how best to make it do what you want. This is something you may need to discuss with a web site designer. A professional web designer knows what can be done to help a web site achieve the goals set for it.4. What's your web site budget?
You need to establish budgetary guidelines with your site web designer (as you would with a general contractor who is asked to estimate cost of construction). There are a wide range of solutions that can be tailored to your specific needs - you need to provide appropriate financial guidance so that your web designer can select the best web site within your budget. Small web sites can begin at $100 for a very basic one page site or a 10 page site with DHTML menus and feed back form in the $1,000 range. There seems so much variation in prices quoted for web site design. If you're quoted a price too good to be true - it probably is! If you're tempted by cheap quotes, then review previous work done by the web designer you're considering.5. What's your time frame?
When do you need your site completed? This should be made very clear from the outset. Depending on the complexity of your site, it can take considerable time to develop your web site. Allow for a minimum of 4 to 8 weeks for development and collecting information. If your timetable is not realistic for your site design, then use a temporary solution that gets you "online" within your timeframe with a reduced presence. Please, no “under construction” pages! A web page indicating your expected web site launch with a brief overview of your company and contact info is more effective and professional. As your site is developed, new pages and features can be added.